Billy Clemons, HBS MBA Class of 2021
Age: 26
Hometown: Wake Forest, North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution and Major: University of South Carolina; International Business and Finance
Pre-MBA Work Experience (years, industry): Four years at various business units of General Electric across finance and operations
Why business school? Why now?
Looking back at my application, several of the reasons for why business school that were career-related have already changed, but I don’t believe the overall value proposition has. I had a good bit of experience in finance and manufacturing operations but knew I had blind spots for other functions, industries, and business sizes.
I was looking for the best way to round out my skill set and challenge myself to grow into a business leader, and I felt business school would be the best way to expedite that process.
I also love learning and was excited about the idea of being a student again. I knew I wanted to make a career change, so timing-wise it lined up perfectly with finishing my rotational program at GE.
Why HBS? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Before beginning applications, I took an MBA visit road trip where I rented a car and drove down the east coast for campus visits at a handful of schools where I was planning to apply. Of all the classes I sat in on, the one at HBS by far had the most student engagement and excitement, which was what really hooked me on the school.
I remember it was a strategy class on Netflix vs. Blockbuster and the professor closed the class by having a student who had worked in strategy at Netflix from its early days share an inside perspective to the company’s thinking. Afterward, I was convinced that type of class experience would be the best way to meet my goals of what I wanted to get out of business school.
What do you think is your most valuable or differentiating contribution to the Class of 2020?
The people here are so incredible that it’s really hard to isolate the true differentiating contribution you feel like you’re making as an individual. To me, it’s very much a whole is greater than the sum of the parts scenario where the experiences of everyone build off each other in a way that is much greater than any single individual’s contribution.
I know that’s a bit of a non-answer, but hopefully, it’s comforting to potential applicants to know that there’s really not this pressure to be able to parse out your individual value in a class of 900+ pretty incredible people.
Fun fact that didn’t get included on your application?
I can say the alphabet backward in under 4 seconds, which is not a skill that is particularly useful besides maybe as a fun party trick. Growing up, my next-door neighbor had Alzheimer’s and would ask me every day if I could say the alphabet backward. After a while, I got pretty quick at it, and it has stuck even though I rarely use it.
Post-MBA career interests?
This has proven to be much more of a moving target than I thought it would be. Since arriving at HBS, I don’t think I’ve gone a day without learning about a career of someone’s that I had never heard of before, which is incredibly exciting but makes this question harder. Longer-term, I want to be a CEO, so I’m working to determine what short and medium-term path best fits with my personal and professional aspirations to help me reach that goal.
Advice to current prospective applicants:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of your application process?
I used an admissions consultant to help guide me through the application process and I would (and have) 100% recommend it to anyone serious about applying. The unknown unknowns about the application process that she was able to illuminate for me was invaluable.
–One thing you would change or do differently?
I wish I would have given myself time between studying for the GRE and beginning applications to recharge and reset. The application process from start to finish is a pretty grueling process, and I wish I would have baked in a little recovery time.
–Part you would have skipped if you could—and what helped you get through it?
I hated the letter of recommendations process. I was coming from a company where this wasn’t a common ask, so it felt like such a burden on these people that I really respected. I got lucky with amazing recommenders, who after probably my 100th apology sat me down and explained how it meant a lot to them that I asked for their help on something so important to me. That change in mindset helped a lot to get through the process.
What is your initial impression of HBS’s students/culture/community?
I have loved getting to know the other students. We’re just a few weeks in so I’ve probably met less than 20% of the total class, but the amount of diversity across every possible dimension is incredible and really inspiring.
The culture is extremely collaborative, and everyone seems genuinely interested in helping each other in whatever way they can. I don’t know if HBS still has a reputation for being a cut-throat and competitive place, but that couldn’t be further from my experience thus far.
One thing you have learned about HBS that has surprised you?
It sounds silly, but the amount of time the academics take caught me off guard a bit. I didn’t expect to spend so much time reading and preparing for classes, but it’s worth the effort in what you’re able to get out of a class.
Thing you are most anxious about in your first year?
There are so many incredible things going on at all times that time management is proving more stressful than I anticipated.
Thing you are most excited about in your first year?
HBS has a FIELD Global Immersion course where all of the first-year students go to different countries to support a local company in a consulting project that I’m super excited for.
